Toilet stool



March 23, 1948. BROUDY 2,438,384

TOILET STOOL Filed April 18, 1945 INVENTOR 41.851? M. 3/90 us] ATTOR N EY Patented Mar. 23, 1948 TOILET STOOL Albert M. Broudy, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor of one-half to James R. Snyder, Wilkinsburg, Pa.

Application April 18, 1945, Serial No. 589,042

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a toilet tool for infants, and important objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a stool of the character described, which will confortably and safely accommodate an infant and quickly acquaint and train the latter as to its use and purpose, which constitutes a small bench and when employed as such gives no obvious suggestion as to its actual toilet purposes, which embodies means for preventing an infant seated therein from accidentally falling therefrom, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, sanitary, compact, durable and eificient in its use, and comparatively economical in its manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction,

I combination, and arrangement of parts herein specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that changes in the form, proportions, and details of construction may be resorted to that come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the improved toilet stool in the upright position.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the stool in overturned position, with the parts thereof arranged for toilet purposes.

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view, partly in section, of the toilet seat, embodied in the present invention.

Figure 5 is a bottom end view of the toilet seat.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the improved. stool comprises a fiat, oblong, rectangularly-shaped top I, which is supported by a pair of fiat, upwardly tapering, supporting legs 2.

The legs are fixedly secured in position adjacent to respective ends of the top I, and slightly converge toward the upper ends thereof. The lower ends of the legs 2 are recessed, as at 3, to more readily adapt same to surfaces upon which the stool may be positioned.

A toilet seat 4 is fixedly secured in position between the supporting legs 2 beneath the top l, The toilet seat is disposed vertically edgewise at right angles with respect to the top I, and serves to brace the legs and top to provide a substantial and sturdy stool structure. The top I, legs 2, and toilet seat 4 are all rigidly secured together by means of screws 5, or by any other suitable securing elements.

The toilet seat 4 is provided with a comparatively large seat opening 6, which is semi-circular at its upper end and open at its lower end. The lower edge margin of the toilet seat is reduced in length to form a pair of depending hearing members 1, which are disposed at respective sides of the seat opening 6 at the open lower end of the latter.

A closure panel 8 is hingedly mounted in the seat opening 6 by having the lower ends of its side edges pivotally engaged by a pair of pivoting pins 9, which latter are fixed in respective bearing members I and extend horizontally. The closure panel is generally shaped to conform to the contour of the seat opening 6, except that each side edge thereof is provided with a large recess III, which is disposed in the lower portion of said closure panel.

A stop plate I l is secured against the rear face of the toilet seat 4 and depends into the seat opening 6 to engage the closure panel and thereby limit and prevent the movement of the latter, on its pivotal connection, from the seat opening 6 in the rearward direction.

A latching element I2 is pivotally connected against the front face of the toilet seat 4, and is frictionally adjustable to overlap and engage the top of the front face of the closure panel 8 for holding the latter in the seat opening 6 against the stop plate H, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

A large fiat sanitary shield l3, constructed of plastic composition or any other suitable sheet material, is secured against the rear face of the closure panel 8, for the obvious purpose of protecting the latter against moisture absorption when the device is employed for toilet purposes in the manner to be described.

A holding bar I4 is secured against the lower free ends of the bearing members I by a pair of screws IS. The screws 15 are of considerable length and not only serve to secure the holding bar in position, but also secure the pivoting pins 9 in the respective bearing members and greatly reenforce the latter.

When the closure panel 8 is held in the closed position in the seat opening 6 by the latching element l2, the stool, in its upright position, may be conveniently employed by adults as a footstool, or as a step for reaching elevations beyond normal reach, or such closed stool may be used by children as a, play table, stand, or seat. By overturning the stool upon its side with the 010- to be shifted, on its pivotal connection, to the vertical position at .right angles to'th'e now horizontal position of the toilet seat 4, as shown in Figure 3.

The holding bar I4 is provided to prevent shifting of the closure panel 8 beyond its righfl angular-position with respect to the toilet seat 4. The lower front edge'corner =of the closure panel is rounded, as at 16, to provide the necessary clearance to allow the shifting of the closure guard to its rightangular position against the holding bar.

In practice, a suitable receptacle is intended to be placed beneath the toilet seat 4 of the overturned stool, and th infant is seated upon the toilet seat with the closure panel disposed upwardly between his legs. The recesses lupro- -vide ample clearances for the passage of .the legs. The closure panel and portions of the top 1 andlegsi. surround the seated infant and safe- 1ysupport him during toilet procedures.

The present invention provides a most efficient device of its kind, which may be economically constructed, and conveniently employed for providing 'earlytraining-toi-let services for infants in the manner hereinset forth.

What I-claimis:

'l. A'toilet stool comprising a pair of supporting legs, an oblong rectangularly-shaped top mounted on said legs, a toilet seat secured in the vertically edgewise positionbetween said legs and beneath said top and being provided with a seat opening, said opening being open at its lower end, a closure panel mounted in said opening for closing the latter and having the lower rend thereof pivotally connected with the lower end of said seat, means for preventing the shifting :ofsaid closure panel in the .rearwarddirection from said opening, means for securing said closure panel in said opening, and means 'for preventing the shifting of said closure panel in the forward direction beyond a position at, right angles with respect to said seat. 7

2. A toilet stool of the character described, comprising the combination of a pair of supporting legs, an oblong rectangularly-shaped top mounted on said legs, a toilet seat secured in the vertically edgewise position between said pair of legs and beneath said top, said toilet seat being provided with a seat opening that i open at its lower end, the lower end of said toilet seat being formed to provide a pair of depending bearing members, a closure panel mounted in said .opening, a pair of pivoting pin fixed in respective bearing members and engaging said closure panel for 'pivotally connecting the latter to said toilet seat, a'stop plate secured against the rear face of said toilet seat and depending into said opening for preventing the shifting of said 010- sure--panel in the. rearward direction from said opening, a latching elemfent mounted on the front face of said toilet seat and being adjustable/for securing said closure panel in .said openings holding bar mounted against said bearing'members for .preventing the shifting :of said closure panel inthe'forward direction beyond a position at right angles with respect to said toilet seat, said closure panel-having recessed sideedges to provide clearances when said closure panel is in said rightangular position, means for securing said holding bar in position against said bearing members and for reenforcing the latter, and a sanitary shield mounted against the rear face of said closure panel. 7

' ALBERT M. BROUDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

"UNZETED srnrss rs rnrrrs 'Eeidson Sept;"1; 1942 

